scientists and NGOs fear the arrival of the National Rally in power after the legislative elections

Several environmental experts and environmental organizations are warning of the consequences of a possible victory for the far right in the fight against global warming.

“Stupefied”, “shaken”, “serious danger”… A few days after the European elections which saw the victory of the National Rally, defenders of the fight against climate change are very concerned about a possible victory of the far-right party in the early legislative elections called by Emmanuel Macron in the wake of the announcement of the results. “I am shaken, scared, dejected”laments paleoclimatologist Jean Jouzel in The world.

The France nature environment association wishes “to prevent France from falling into the camp of climate skeptics and environmental crisis deniers”. Because the National Rally wants “unraveling environmental progress”warns the NGO Greenpeace. “L‘extreme right is a serious danger for the environment and the climate’write Friends of the Earth on the social network

These are the measures put forward by the RN which alarm climate specialists. During the 2022 presidential campaign, Marine Le Pen had thus promised around twenty new nuclear reactors, ten of which were to be delivered by 2031, an unrealistic bet, according to the manufacturers themselves. She also promoted a moratorium on wind power, thus coming up against all energy transition scenarios, which, nuclear or not, underline the need for renewable energies if France wants to move away from fossil fuels and meet its climate commitments. The copy at the time was thus judged “very distant, even contrary” to France’s climate objectives, according to the analysis carried out at the time by franceinfo.

Two years later, in the party’s program for the European elections, measures to combat climate change were again judged “insufficient or contrary”according to the Climate Action Network. “The RN does not mention carbon neutrality or the exit from fossil fuels in its program”, cited the NGO coalition as an example. Jordan Bardella’s list, however, came out against “punitive ecology” of the European Green Deal, for the repeal of the ban on the sale of new thermal cars in 2035, for the relaxation “European obligations for the energy renovation of buildings” or even against the deployment of wind turbines and solar panels.

For these anticipated legislative elections, the far-right party has planned a profession of faith which will be sent to all its candidates. It contains “the eight campaign themes that the RN wants to carry”writing Le Figaro, who was able to consult it. There is no mention of climate change or the protection of the environment and biodiversity. However, some promises touch on these issues, such as “lower electricity bills, reduce VAT on gas, fuel oil and fuels”.

Enough, on the contrary, to increase the attractiveness of energy products, including fossil fuels. Mention is also made of the development of “short circuits” to support agriculture. But “an environmental program must be technical. (…) Neutrality in 2050, how do we get there? It’s not enough to write poetry about the local”argued political scientist Daniel Boy, specialist in political ecology, interviewed by franceinfo in 2021.

Beyond the programs, the large victory of the National Rally in the European elections revives past positions. Like that of MP Christophe Barthès, on X, last January: “Global warming? Climate disruption? On January 3, 2024, Sweden recorded the lowest temperatures in 25 years, with -43°C.” Or that of his colleague Thomas Ménage, who affirmed in August 2023 that the IPCC experts “sometimes tend to exaggerate”before ensuring that he did not call into question the reality of global warming.

During the 2022 presidential campaign, Marine Le Pen herself cited the environment and the IPCC among the “so-called major global issues” that French diplomacy had to abandon.

“The RN has no ambition in terms of fighting climate change. It’s a vacuum. Either party members are climate skeptics and deny the problem, or they ignore it.”

Jean Jouzel, paleoclimatologist

in the world”

Thus, the proposals and exits of the RN do not give France “no chance of achieving the objectives of the Paris agreement”judge François Gemenne, specialist in climate governance, with AFP. “The example of Sweden must question us, with a very right-wing government which depended on the extreme right… The result is that Sweden’s emissions have started to rise againadds the researcher. While Sweden has historically always been Europe’s good student in terms of ecology. So we can clearly see that we can put a sudden stop to the transition.”

National low-carbon strategy, national climate change adaptation plan, multi-year energy programming… Several texts are pending and their future is uncertain. “There is a real risk that the transition could be slowed down, or even derailed. What is essential for the transition from the side of companies, investors, and markets is clear signals, a long-term course term which is sent by the government”warns François Gemenne.

“Today, we are reshuffling the cards, the future government will be able to redo its choices”, worries Jules Nyssen, president of the Renewable Energies Union. Even though, as climatologist Valérie Masson-Delmotte recalled on X, the High Council for the Climate warned in April about “the current level of emergency, both in terms of mitigation and adaptation, which calls for a firm and immediate reaffirmation of France’s climate policy.”

Since the 19th century, the average temperature of the Earth warmed by 1.1°C. Scientists have established with certainty that this increase is due to human activities, which consume fossil fuels (coal, oil and gas). This warming, unprecedented in its speed, threatens the future of our societies and biodiversity. But solutions – renewable energies, sobriety, reduced meat consumption – exist. Discover our answers to your questions on the climate crisis.